Filled resin layer separated pump housing

Abstract

A pump configured to move fluid from one location to another location is provided. The pump includes a pump housing. The pump housing is composed of a wall structure. The wall structure includes a first laminar portion of a thickness of the wall structure composed of a resin that does not include any reinforcing fibers. The wall structure also includes a second laminar portion of the thickness of the wall structure that is composed a resin with reinforcing fibers dispersed through the resin.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pump configured to move fluid from one location to another location, the pump comprising:
 an inlet manifold; 
 at least one fluid chamber in fluid communication with the inlet manifold; 
 an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the fluid chamber; 
 wherein the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber collectively form a pump housing of the pump; 
 wherein the pump housing is composed of a wall structure; 
 wherein the wall structure includes a fluid-side interior surface, an exterior surface, and a thickness located between the fluid-side interior and exterior surfaces; 
 wherein the fluid-side interior surface of the wall structure is in fluid contact with the fluid that is moved through the pump; 
 wherein the pump housing is composed of a resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin throughout the thickness of the wall structure except at the fluid-side interior surface of the pump housing; 
 wherein the fluid-side surface of the pump housing is composed of resin and is free of the reinforcing fibers that are otherwise dispersed throughout the thickness of the pump housing; 
 wherein the wall structure of each of the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber includes at least one or more ribs extending from the exterior surface opposite the fluid-side surface of the wall structure; 
 wherein the wall structure of each of the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber each includes at least one cross rib extending from the exterior surface opposite the fluid-side surface of the wall structure and transverse to the at least one or more ribs; and 
 where each of the at least one or more ribs and the at least one cross rib are composed of the resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin. 
 
     
     
       2. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump housing includes a second fluid chamber in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet manifolds. 
     
     
       3. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is a diaphragm pump. 
     
     
       4. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers are selected from the group consisting of at least one of glass, talc, calcium carbonate, aramid fiber, stainless steel, carbon, and wollastonite. 
     
     
       5. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of at least one of polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, acetal, fluorinated polymer, Perfluoroalkoxy alkanes, fluorinated ethylene propylene, polyamide, and polyphenylene sulfide. 
     
     
       6. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-side interior surface is not a separably distinct layer laminated onto the resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin throughout the thickness of the wall structure. 
     
     
       7. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein a laminar portion of the thickness opposite the exterior surface and at the fluid-side interior surface is composed of the resin that does not include any reinforcing fibers. 
     
     
       8. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one or more ribs is a plurality of spaced-apart ribs. 
     
     
       9. The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transverse rib is a plurality of transverse ribs. 
     
     
       10. A pump configured to move fluid from one location to another location, the pump comprising:
 a pump housing of the pump; 
 wherein the pump housing is composed of a wall structure; 
 wherein the wall structure includes a fluid-side interior surface, an exterior surface, and a thickness located between the fluid-side interior and exterior surfaces; 
 wherein the fluid-side interior surface of the wall structure is in fluid contact with the fluid that is moved through the pump; 
 wherein the pump housing is composed of a resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin throughout the thickness of the wall structure except at the fluid-side interior surface of the pump housing; and 
 wherein the fluid-side surface of the pump housing is composed of resin and is free of the reinforcing fibers that are otherwise dispersed throughout the thickness of the pump housing. 
 
     
     
       11. The pump of  claim 10 , wherein the pump housing of the pump includes an inlet manifold, at least one fluid chamber in fluid communication with the inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the fluid chamber. 
     
     
       12. The pump of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber collectively form a pump housing of the pump. 
     
     
       13. The pump of  claim 12 , wherein the wall structure of each of the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber includes at least one or more ribs extending from the exterior surface opposite the fluid-side surface of the wall structure. 
     
     
       14. The pump of  claim 13 , wherein the wall structure of each of the inlet manifold, the outlet manifold, and the at least one fluid chamber each includes at least one cross rib extending from the exterior surface opposite the fluid-side surface of the wall structure and transverse to the at least one or more ribs. 
     
     
       15. The pump of  claim 14 , wherein each of the at least one or more ribs and the at least one cross rib are composed of the resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin. 
     
     
       16. The pump of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid-side interior surface is not a separably distinct layer laminated onto the resin having reinforcing fibers dispersed in the resin throughout the thickness of the wall structure. 
     
     
       17. The pump of  claim 10 , wherein a laminar portion of the thickness opposite the exterior surface and at the fluid-side interior surface is composed of the resin that does not include any reinforcing fibers. 
     
     
       18. The pump of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one or more ribs is a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, and wherein the at least one transverse rib is a plurality of transverse ribs. 
     
     
       19. A pump configured to move fluid from one location to another location, the pump comprising:
 a pump housing of the pump; 
 wherein the pump housing is composed of a wall structure; and 
 wherein a first laminar portion of a thickness of the wall structure composed a resin that does not include any reinforcing fibers and a second laminar portion of the thickness of the wall structure composed a resin with reinforcing fibers dispersed through the resin. 
 
     
     
       20. The pump of  claim 19 , wherein the wall structure includes a fluid-side interior surface and exterior surface, wherein the thickness is located between the fluid-side interior and exterior surfaces, and wherein the first laminar portion of the thickness of the wall structure is located at the fluid-side interior surface and the second laminar portion of the thickness of the wall structure is located adjacent the first laminar portion and the exterior surface.